Means for adjusting throttle valves



April 6, 1937- s. s. WEEKS 2,076,306

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THROTTLE VALVES Filed DeC. 25, 1935 l SHIRLEY S.WEEKS INVE/V'R.

ATTORNEY:

Patented Apr. 6, 1937 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for adjusting throttlevalves.

Throttle valves, or the like, when employed to control liquid or gaseousfuel fed to a burner, are usually actuated automatically in response tochanges in the steam pressure where the burner is used to produce suchpressure in a boiler. The fuel is customarily supplied at asubstantially constant pressure, whichof course is available at thesupply side of the throttling valve. When this valve is open relativelywide, the differential of pressure between its supply and delivery sidesis not so great as when the valve is more nearly closed. Accordingly, itis highly desirable that in the adjustment of the valve its travel whennear its most closed or minimum opening position be `comparatively lessor slower than when it approaches its maximum opening position. It isalso desirable to provide means which enable the 20 minimum and maximumpositions of the valve to be adjusted independently of each other, toprovide for variation in the travel of the valve between these twopositions and to provide for a separate adjustment of the valve withrespect to 25 its seat, regardless of the other adjustments.

The provision of means for adjusting a throttle valve as aforesaid isthe principal object of this invention.

The best mode in which I have contemplated 30 applying the principles ofmy invention is shown in the accompanying drawing but these are to betaken as merely illustrative and it is intended that the patent shallcover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features ofpatent- 35 able novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section on line l-I of Figure 3, ofmeans embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, away, showing a portion of the means ingthe throttle valve;

Figure 3 is an end View taken from the right of Figure 2;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are graphs, illustrating how the position of thevalve may be varied by the novel adjusting means of my invention; and

Figure 'I is a view of a detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the 5o throttle valve isshown as having a cone head I on a stem 2 which is movable toward andfrom a seat 3 in the interior of a casing 4. This is, of

course, merely indicative of any suitable form of control or throttlevalve. An extended externally 55 threaded cylinder 5 is secured to thecasing by a with a` part broken for actuatnut 6 and on this cylind whichis fixed in position left or valve end o threaded therein for the valvestem and this guide an expansion spring IIJ em and pressing against apin through. The right or frame through a suitable is held in place byral opening for access also serves as a coiled about the st II extendingthere end of the valve stem passes packing or stuffing I2 which the capnut I3 having a cent to the stem.

A cone seat engaged by the I4. The latter bifurcated end and bepivotally This lever has a tion through which another pin to pivotallyconnect the These arms are also frame 1.

series of holes 1' so corresponding holes saddle for UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THROTTLE VALVES Shirley S. Weeks,Providence, R. I.

Application December 23, 1935, Serial No. 55,829

er is mounted a frame 1 by a lock nut 8. At the f the cylinder a guide 9is 2a in the end of the valve stem is conical point of an adjusting nutscrews o I5a adapted to lever may be adjusted as desired.

The lever I6 mounted on a pin ings 2|, 22 also rides on a smallconnected thereto by a series of holes I6 in its lower por- I8 may bepassed lever to arms nto a split rod I5 having a receive a lever I6 pinI1.

'la 0f the provided with a that by a proper selection of the iulcrum orpivot of the ball bearing I9 between two larger ball bearmounted on thesame pin. The

the bifurcated end of a clevis o a rod 24 that extends through a hollowguide 25 pivotally engaged at its rotated by control apparatus (notsteam pressure is a cam 21 whi another clevis latter clevis and the acoiled spring in a boiler. ch engages a ro 29 on the rod 24. lower endof 30 which ten the roller against the cam.

The larger ball bearings 2 I, 22 on the Figure 7) having slots on aplate 3| (see upper end with a shaft 26. This shaft may be shown) which,the changes of Between this the guide 25 is ds constantly to keep pin 20ride 3 I a which enable the plate to be positioned on pin ends of twoadjusting screws 32, 33 arately adjustable and may be locked in positionby the nuts it be assumed 34, 35 respectively. The adjustments will nowwhich are sepbe described. Let that the positions of the parts as gure lrepresent the mini This opening may be adof the screw 32. Let the theball bearings I9, 2|, the e head I represent the maximum valve opening.This opening may be adjusted by movement of the screw to Figure 4 letthe p the minimum valve opening when 33. Referring oint a on the chartrepresent the screw 32 is positioned as shown in Figure 1 and let thepoint b on the chart represent the maximum valve opening when the screw33 is in the position shown in Figure 1. If the latter is turned furtherin- 5 ward, the maximum valve opening may be changed so that it may berepresented by point bl as seen in Figure 5, the point a remainingunchanged. Or if the maximum valve opening, as indicated by point b isas desired, the minimum valve opening may be changed to a greater amountby movement of screw 32 so as to be indicated by point al of Figure 6.Thus it is clear that either the minimum or maximum positions of thevalve opening may be adjusted independently of the other by separatesettings of the screws 32 and 33 respectively.

As the shaft 26 and cam 21 are rotated (by control means not shown) theroller bearings are moved along the plate 3l. The lever I5 swingsaccordingly, as it remains in smaller bearing, and. controls theintermediate positions of the valve between its minimum and maximumopenings. To vary the movements of thevalve between' these positions,the fulcrum pin 2.5 lmay be shifted from one hole IB) to another in thelever I6, a-nd to corresponding holes (1") in thev arms '1a. Thecorresponding variations in the intermediatepositions of the valve areindicated by the four curved lines c drawn on Figures 30 4, 5 and 6between the points a (al) and b (bl) representing the minimum andmaximum valve openings. Thus by adjusting the pin I8, variations in theintermediate travel of the valve between its minimum and maximumpositions `may 35 be attained.

If it is desired to change the valve position without changing eitherthe position of screw 32 or screw 33 or the pin I8, then nut M may beturned on the pin l5. Suppose, for example,

40 that the minimum opening is at point tion Figure 6, and the maximumat point b on the same figure. The intermediate travel is represented bythe four lines c. VIf it is desired to reduce the valve opening in all'of its positions, this may be 45 accomplished by turning nut M'clockwise (as seen from the right). on- Figure 6 by the point four linescl.

'I'hus the positions of the valve for either mini- 50 mum ormaximumopenings may be independent- The result is indicated a., thepoint b and the mum and maximum positions may be independently adjustedwithout ailecting these positions, 55 and the valve opening for allpositions may be independently adjusted without affecting the otheradjustments.

The feature of my invention which provides r the slower opening of thevalve when near 60 its minimum position is accomplished by virtue of thelever ISv and its relation to the points of adjustment for the minimumand maximum valve openings. When the ball bearings are in or near theposition shown in full `lines in Fig- 65 ure 1, the point of engagementbetween the small bearing t9 and the lever I 6 is relatively remote fromthe fulcrum pin I8. As the rollers move toward the adjusting screw 33,.the point Aof engagement between the lever and the small bear- 70 ingbecomes closer and closer to the fulcrum pin. Thus it follows that thesame movement of the rollers when near the minimum adjusting screw 32will produce a slower or less opening movevalve than will be produced bythe 75 same movement of the rollers when the latter Contact with theyare near the maximum adjusting screw 33. This variation in the travel ofthe valve is indicated by the lines c (and cl), it being evident that asthe valve travels from the minimum opening a (or al) toward the maximumopening b` (or bl) it opens less rapidly near the minimum and morerapidly as it approaches the maximum. This feature has proven of greatadvantage in the adjustment of the valve to insure the properproportioning of the fuel to the air supply for the burner.

I claim:

l. Means for adjusting a throttle valve or the like comprising, incombination, a valve stem; a leverl whose movements control themovements of said stem; an adjustable plate; means interposed betweenthe lever and plate and movable therealong to vary the position of saidlever in accordance with the position of said plate; adjustable meansfor positioning one end of said plate tol effect a minimum valveAopening; and other adjustable means for positioning the other end of theplate to eifect a maximum valve opening.

2. Means for adjusting a throttle valve or the like comprising, incombination, a valve stem; a lever whose movements control the movementsof said stem; an adjustable plate; means interposed between the leverand plate and movable therealong to vary the position of said lever inaccordance with the position of said plate; adjustable means forpositioning one end of said plate to effect a minimum valve opening;other adjustableV means for positioning the other end of the plate toeffect a maximum valve opening; and means for changing the fulcrum ofsaid lever to vary its movements between its positions corresponding tominimum and maximum valve openings.

3. Means for adjusting a throttle valve comprising, in combination, asupport attached to said valve casing; a frame carried by said support;a valve stem extending through said support; a lever fulcrumed on saidframe in position to engage said valve stem whereby the movements of thelever control the movements of the valve; separated adjusting meansmounted on said frame; a plate carried at one end by one of saidadjusting means and carried at its other end by the other of saidadjusting means; means interposed between said plate and lever andmovable therealong whereby the swing of said lever is determined by theposition of said plate; the adjusting means at one end of the platedetermining the minimum valve opening and the adjusting means at theother end of the plate determining the maximum valve opening.

4. Means for adjusting a throttle valve comprising, in combination, asupport attached to said valve casing; a frame carried by said support;a valve stem extending through said supa lever fulcrumed on said framein position to engage said valve stem whereby the movements of the levercontrol the movements of the valve; separated adjusting means mounted onsaid frame; a plate carried at one end by one of said adjusting meansand carried at its other end by the other of said adjusting means; meansinterposed between said plate and lever and movable therealong wherebythe swing of said lever is determined by the position of said plate; theadjusting means at one end of the plate determining the minimum valveopening and the adjusting means at the other end of the platedetermining the maximum valve opening; there being a series of holes insaid lever and in said frame whereby the fulcrum of the lever may bealtered to vary the swing of the lever and corresponding movement of thevalve between its positions of minimum and maximum opening.

5. Means for adjusting a throttle valve or the like comprising, incombination, a valve stem; a lever whosemovements control the movementsof said stem; an adjustable member; means interposed between the leverand said member and movable therealong to vary the position of saidlever in accordance with the position of said member; adjustable meansfor positioning one end of said member to effect a minimum valveopening; and other adjustable means for positioning the other end ofsaid member to effect a maximum valve opening; the said lever beingfulcrumed so that equal movements of said in- 20 terposed movable meanswill effect a lesser movement of the valve when near its position ofminimum opening than when near its position of maximum opening.

6. Means for adjusting a throttle valve or the like comprising, incombination, a valve stem; a lever fulcrumed near one end and havingintermediate of its ends an operative connection with the valve stemwhereby movements of the lever control the movements of said stem; meansmovable along said lever toward and from its iulcrum; a member arrangedto be engaged by said movable means throughout the movement thereof;adjustable means for positioning the end of said member remote from thelevers' fulcrum to eiect a minimum valve openingj' and other adjustablemeans for positioning the end of said member which is nearer saidfulcrurn to effect a maximum valve opening.

SHIRLEY s. WEnirs.

